Introducing...Lorimerworks

A couple of months ago I began an exhaustive search for a fabulous video production company to film an equally fabulous event we are producing. Thanks to a recommendation from one of my trusted vendors, I got in contact with Anton Lorimer, the creative force behind Lorimerworks; an amazing videographer based in San Francisco.

After speaking with Anton at great length and reviewing many of his wedding and event productions, I settled on Lorimerworks to produce the perfect video for my client. And I can't tell you how excited I am to introduce you to him!

Anton was voted 2007 Videographer of the Year in the San Francisco Bay Area. And it's no wonder! Just take a look at the amazing wedding trailers he has posted on his website. They are truly works of art.

I'm anxious to post the trailer from our upcoming event, so stay tuned. It's sure to be fabulous!

~Jodi

Over the River and Through the Woods

...to Grandmother's house we arrived! After sitting on the runway for what seemed like an eternity, we finally arrived in Minneapolis. And guess where our first stop was? A baby boutique to buy our 5-year-old son a new 'blankie' {the kind with silky sides and minkie fur} to replace the one that's sitting on our kitchen table back in Michigan. I had to shell out $35 for the darn thing. And it's no bigger than a 10" square. Nearly killed me!

Needless to say, I'm looking forward to just a couple days of down time. Can't take too much time, though, since we have an enormous event just a few short weeks away. Which is exactly why I'm thankful for a mobile office, a Blackberry {did I tell you I got the new Storm for Christmas? It's a little slice of heaven on earth!}, and my in-laws recent WI-FI installation!

I do want to finish this post by wishing you all a very merry and blessed Christmas! May we always remember the reason we celebrate this holiday and the ultimate gift that was so lovingly given to us!

~Jodi

A Career for Seth?

For the past two days, I have been on-location overseeing the filming of a video for an upcoming event. It's been a fascinating process watch. The lighting. The set. The cameras. The monitors. The moving of plants and lamps so they don't look like they're coming out of people's heads. All fascinating to watch and be a part of. And all courtesy of Coastline Studios.

Today, before filming began {and before Seth had to go to school}, Jay of J.Irwin Films asked Seth if he wanted to see what it was like to be a cameraman. Of course, he jumped at the opportunity and quickly put the headphones on. And John grabbed his camera and took these adorable pictures.

After he was done, Seth proudly announced that he doesn't want to be a cameraman but still wants to be a bus driver. {Aim high, son, aim high!}

~Jodi

Trend Watch...Edge Painting

*photo courtesy of smock

Rumor has it that one of the hottest trends in wedding invitation design is edge painting. As shown in the photograph above, the edge of the invitation is painted in a color that coordinates or complements. I'm sure you will agree that it's simply stunning. But as you can imagine, this luxury comes at a price. Which is why I'd love to share with you a 'budget' solution. You'll achieve the same look at a fraction of the price.

Several years ago, when time seemed more in supply and less in demand, I spent hours designing creative and imaginative hand-made cards. It was my creative outlet when the kids were taking a nap or down for the night.

One of the mediums I often used in my designs was chalk. I used it mostly for shading because it was easy to use and added that perfect extra-something. So, when I heard about the latest trend hitting the invitation world, I immediately thought about the luscious chalk I once used. And knew how perfectly it could 'paint' the edge of any invitation for under $20.

*photo courtesy of Impress Ruber Stamps

I did a little searching and found this amazing set of pearlescent chalk at a shop in Seattle that I frequently purchased from. The colors have come a long way since I last used chalk. And there were no fancy applicators back then either. Just good old-fashion Q-tips! This set sells for a mere $17.25 and will give you just what you need to add that high-end touch!

Happy Edge Painting!

~Jodi

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

Yesterday, we had the opportunity to design a winter wonderland for a Christmas luncheon at Cascade Hills Country Club. It was a beautiful, beautiful day. The sky was so blue and the sun shone all day. {A very rare occurance for a Michigan winter day} It made the blanket of snow outside sparkle and glisten and look so pretty.

The event began at 11:30am with champagne cocktails and didn't end until 2:15pm. It was a privledge to be involved in this delightful event and we look forward to designing something even more wonderful next year!


This beautiful arrangement was designed by Modern Day Floral. What I love about this design is that the products used are not expensive but because they're masters of design over there, it looks like a $100 centerpiece. Brilliant!

Here's a look at the escort cards we designed for the event. I LOVE the way they turned out. We started with dried magnolia leaves and glued on a pine cone. Then we spray painted all 225 of them white. After they had all dried, we glued in the pine bough and the white birch branches. So easy but yet so effective.

The escort cards sat in a blanket of 'snow.' We put white satin linens on the tables and then spread 15 bags of artificial snow on top. I'm fairly certain that housekeeping at the Country Club were not as thrilled with our design as we were!

The beautiful placesetting. We selected a white and silver palette for this event and I think it looks so clean and crisp without feeling cold and sterile. A huge 'thank you' to Special Events Rental for their amazing rental products! We love you guys!

Finally, the beautiful letterpress card designed and printed by Bella Figura. I think I gave them all of five days to design and print this for me. And once again, they didn't disappoint! Special thanks to Jen Kroll , too, for the amazing photography. She never disappoints, either!

~Jodi

How To...Make Wax Seals

*Photo courtesy of Wax Works

One of our lovely readers recently asked if I could explain how I made the wax seals for my sister's wedding. Well, I'm happy to oblige because they were so darn much fun to make!

The process is really quite simple. Here's what you need:

• Low-temp glue gun
• foil
• wax sticks
• wax stamp {look for one with a heavy brass bottom so you get a good impression}

I had never made wax seals before this project and definitely learned some 'tricks' that made the process go smoothly. Here's how you do it:

1. Place a wax stick into your glue gun
   
2. On a piece of foil, squirt a nickle-sized circle of wax
   
3. Immediately place your stamp on the wax and leave it there for approximately 20 seconds
   
4. Lift your stamp off the wax by pulling straight up
   
5. Allow your seal to cool completely before removing it from the foil {I found that if I removed the seal while it was still warm it had a tendency to fold-up on the edges. The wax needs time to set so that it holds its shape}

There are a number of places to buy wax stamps. I found the one for my sister's wedding at Michael's. But if you want a gorgeous custom stamp, I recommend Wax Works. They have a large variety of beautiful handles and they do a great job engraving the brass.

And there you have it. A step-by-step process for making your own wax seals. Have fun!

~Jodi